Genetic divergence in indigenous spinach genetic resources for agronomic performance and implication of multivariate analyses for future selection criteria
2013
Arif, M. (National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad (Pakistan). Plant Genetic Resources Programme) | Jatoi, S.A. (National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad (Pakistan). Plant Genetic Resources Programme) | Rafique, T. (National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad (Pakistan). Plant Genetic Resources Programme) | Ghafoor, A.
A study was conducted during winter 2010 at National Agricultural Research Center (NARC) Islamabad, (33.40 degree N and 73.07 degree E), to assess diversity profile of indigenous spinach germplasm collected from different parts of the country. The evaluation was based on 20 qualitative and quantitative parameters following the botanical descriptors developed by Biodiversity International. A high variation was observed for plant height, earliness of bolting and days taken to flowering whereas low medium variability was observed for remaining parameters. Trait association based on correlation analysis reflected significant and positive relationship among different attributes that could be useful in devising further crop improvement strategy in spinach. Principal component analysis (PCA) displayed the scattered distribution on the basis of agronomic performance. The cumulative contribution of the first three principal components (PCs) reflected by principal component analysis was 58.4%. Cluster analysis grouped the spinach genotypes into four major clusters regardless of collection origin which yielded useful information of the genotypic relationship among genotypes. In spite of high variability, observed in various traits, low variance for leaf related characters (which are of prime importance) was observed in the investigated germplasm, which restricts the scope of selection for these traits. This advocated the need to acquire more diverse germplasm including local and exotic genotypes for devising better crop improvement strategy in spinach.
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by National Agricultural Research Centre